Absorbent pad



Nov. 8, 1966 E. PRENTICE ABSORBENT PAD Filed July 13, 1962 Fla. 2.

1 NVE N TOR.

if PRENT QE BY WWW United States Patent Office 3,284,273 Patented Nov.8, 1966 r 3,284,273 ABSORBENT PAD Earl E. Prentice, Palos VerdesEstates, Calif., assignor to John A. Haslett, doing business as John A.Haslett Co., San Gabriel, Calif.

Filed July 13, 1962, Ser. No. 209,590 1 Claim. (Cl. 161-833) Thisinvention relates to an absorbent pad and is particularly concerned withabsorption or taking up of liquids into said pad to be retained andstored therein, a general object of this invention being to provide anarticle of manufacture that is particularly suited for use as a floorcovering or the like and adapted to receive and store liquids contactingthe same, while affording protection to the underlying floor. By floor Imean to include broadly any supporting surface whether it be that of abuilding structure, vehicular body or container, etc.

There are many circumstances where liquids drip or spill, or cases whereliquids are uncontrollably discharged. It is often desirable to protecta floor surface, and I mean to include irregularities and thereforecontemplate application of this invention to specially shaped floors,with an overlying protective cover. In most instances covers of the typeunder consideration act only as a shield to shed liquid, and there arecovers in the form of trays that catch liquids in puddles. In any case,liquid-proof covers and trays are ineffective when it is desired to usethe underlying floor for the support of objects and for the support ofones self. For example, it is ordinarily impractical for a person towalk upon such a protective cover. One solution to the problem is toprovide a grating in the floor with a sump beneath the grating, thisbeing an expensive procedure. Another solution to the problem is toprovide a blotter that covers the surface, this blotter being a verylimited collector of liquid. That is, among other drawbacks, a blotterdoes not hold any great volume of liquid. I

Since the article of the present invention is closely analogous to ablotter, the particular drawbacks to said ordinary blotter should beconsidered. Reference is made to blotters comprising a soft looselycompacted paper of substantial thickness. Such blotter material is notdurable, especially when wetted, and discharge of liquid occurs when thematerial is compressed. Therefore, a simple layer of blotter material ishighly impractical when contemplating an absorbent pad adapted tooverlie a working surface, a surface upon which objects are to besupported and upon which persons or the like can walk or stand andperform other duties.

An object of this invention is to provide an article in the form of apad that is adapted to absorb liquids dropped or spilled thereon, andsuch that a substantially large volume of liquid is retainable therein.

Another object of this invention is to provide an article in the form ofa liquid absorbent pad and which is adapted to overlie and protect asurface, while being used in a normal manner, for example to supportobjects and to be walked upon by persons or the like.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a liquidabsorbent pad of the character thus far referred to and which does notdischarge said liquid when pressure is applied thereto for the. supportof objects or persons or the like.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a liquid storingpad of the character thus far referred to and which can transfer liquidor moisture into dry objects upon contact therewith. With the padstructure that I provide liquid storing laminations have capillaryqualities and function to transfer the liquids that are stored therein.Thus, a dry object coming into contact with the wet pad will be wettedby withdrawal of liquid from the pad by means of capillary attraction.

The various objects and features of this invention will be fullyunderstood from the following detailed description of the typicalpreferred forms and applications thereof, throughout which descriptionreference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View showing a typical embodiment of theabsorbent pad.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of a portion of the padand taken as indicated by line 2-2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a View similar to FIG. 2 and shows a modified form of the pad.

The absorbent pad hereinafter disclosed is useful as above indicated andfor example it is useful as bed pads or trays. A specific use is inanimal cages as employed in transporting animals in baggagecompartments, to prevent animal discharges from spreading onto otherbaggage and luggage. Thus, it will be apparent that there are manysituations where highly absorbent pads are useful.

In the drawings I have shown several forms of the invention wherein theabsorbent pad involves, generally, a bottom or base lamina A, an upperor surface lamina B, a spacer means C separating the laminae A and B,and a liquid retainer D occupying the space intermediate the twolaminae. The elements A through D are made of inexpensive materials thatare highly effective for the functions to be performed, and they arecombined in a cooperative relationship with each other so as to providea highly utilitarian article. As illustrated in its simplest form, thepad is rectangular a flat article of initially light and sanitarycharacter.

The bottom or base lamina A and the top or surface lamina B arepreferably made of the same material, a paper felt 10 that is in itselfhighly absorbent. The particular paper material that I prefer to employis fifty pound felt 10 of the type and quality used. in the manufactureof tar-paper sometimes referred to as asparagus-paper. The reference toasparagus-paper is pertinent inasmuch as there is a widespread use ofthis paper used in the shipping of vegetable produce, with greatsuccess, to retain moisture and to keep the produce fresh while intransit. sorbs approximately of its weight in coal oil, it hasreasonably good mechanical properties including wearing capabilities andstrength. Above all, it is a very inexpensive material that can bereadily cut into any desired fiat pattern, and it can be formed with theapplication of moisture (steam) and/or heat and pressure. However, byitself it has the limitation of absorbing about twice its own weight inwater (water being slightly heavier than coal oil) and pressureconstantly applied will squeeze liquid from this material.

In accordance with the invention a layer or lamina of felt 10 is used toconstruct both the bottom and top laminae A and B, although in someinstances, it may be desired to construct the bottom lamina A of othermaterials. For instance, the lamina A can be made of thick or thin boardof liquid-proof material, unless it is to have liquid absorptionqualities. Thus, the lamina A has a lower face 11 for support engagementand an upper face 12. Or, as shown, the lamina A can be of felt 10 witha liquid impervious film 13 underlying the same, thereby preventingliquids from discharging beneath the pad.

The top or supporting lamina B is of felt 10, as above specified or theequivalent, and overlies the lamina A in spaced relationship therewith.Thus, the lamina B has a lower face 15 for supporting engagement and ithas an upper service face 16. It is to be understood that the twolaminae are of the same plan configuration, one being weight and of avery clean in plan configuration being spaced from and carried over theother. It will be apparent that the exposed service face 16 will absorband take in any liquid that it contacts, thereby saturating the felt upto its inherent absorption capacity (190%). However, before reachingthis maximum absorption condition liquid will be transferred and storedin a liquid retainer D as later described.

The spacer means C can vary, as shown herein by the disclosure of twoforms of the invention. In FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings I have shown aform wherein a spacer lamina 20 is positioned between faces 12 and 15 ofthe two laminae, to hold them in positive predetermined spacedrelationship. The lamina is primarily a marginal element that extendscontinuously around the periphery of the laminae A and B. It ispreferred that said lamina 20 be a layer of hair-felt or strips thereofhaving constant thickness whereby there is uniformity in the parallelrelationship of the two laminae A and B. Further, as the size of the padincreases it becomes necessary to compartmentalize the pad, in whichcase partition lamina 21 of the same character as lamina 20 areinstalled between opposite edges of the pad. As a result, one or moreflat and laterally co-extensive compartments or chambers 22 are formedbetween the laminae A and B.

In carrying out the first form of the invention the three laminae aresecured together as by lines of stitching or sewing 24.

In FIG. 3 of the drawings I have shown a form wherein the margins of thelaminae A and B are flanged normally at 25 and have lips 26 disposed soas to engage and space the laminae A and B. The lips 26 are in a planeoffset from the planes of the two spaced laminae and thereby hold thetwo said laminae parallel with each other. In carrying out the secondform of invention the two spaced laminae are secured together as bymeans of cementing or as by means of a marginal clamping band 24', asshown.

Further, and in accordance with the present invention, the lamina 23 orhair-felt are installed so as to establish a dam projecting upwardlyfrom and surrounding the top lamina B (see FIG. 1). Thus, excess liquidapplied too quickly will be contained over the lamina B until sufficienttime elapses for its absorption.

In accordance with the invention the liquid retainer D is provided tooccupy or form a lamina between the first two mentioned laminae A and B(A and B). The material forming the retainer D can vary widely from thatof a solid sheet of material to that of the granular material 30 ofuniform size that I prefer to employ. In the case illustrated there arepellets or grains of absorbent clay sized to comfortably fit between thefaces 12 and 15. For example, the clay that I employ is fullers earth, asorbtive earthen material, which is highly liquid absorbent and which isreasonably strong and crush-resistant. Ordinarily this material willabsorb 70% to 165% of its dry weight in S.A.E. #10 cutting oil, itretains its size, and pressure applied to this material withinreasonable limits does not change its shape or squeeze liquid therefrom.

From the drawings it will be seen that the pellets or grains ofabsorbent granular material 30 fully occupy the chamber or chambers 22acting under compression between the faces 12 and 15 to space thelaminae A and B. Therefore, positive and continuous pressure contact ismaintained between material 30 and surfaces 12 and 15, and as a resultthe granules of material 30 indent into the said surfaces. Consequently,there is substantial surface contact with each granule and transfer ofliquid into the said granules is thereby made possible and isefiiciently achieved.

From the foregoing it will be seen that all of the materials employedare of liquid absorbent character, with the exception of the underlyingfilm 13 or modified lamina A used when circumstances require. Liquid,whether it be oils, paints or fuels, etc. when spilled upon or contactedwith the service face 16 of the pad will be quickly absorbed into thefelt 10. Upon sufiicient saturation of the felt 10 in lamina B therewill be a transfer of liquid into the sized grains of material 30 to bestored therein. It will be apparent that any over-saturation of thelamina B will be readily and quickly corrected by absorption into thesaid granules of material 30, until such time as said granules are alsofully saturated. During saturation of the pad of the present inventionthe service face 16 is usable for the support of objects and it hassufiicient wear resistant qualities so as to be walked upon withoutcrushing grains of material 30 and without pressing liquid so as todischarge from the pad. When the pad is used for the Wetting of objectssuch as vegetable produce, it is first saturated with water and placedin contact engagement with said produce. The felt 10 contacts thevegetable and the supply of water within the pad is withdrawn slowly bycapillary attraction into the said vegetable.

Having described typical preferred forms and applications of myinvention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specificdetails herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself anymodifications or variations that may appear to those skilled in the artand fall within the scope of the following claim.

Having described my invention, I claim:

A laminated floor pad for standing support and for storing liquidcontacting the same and including:

(a) a base lamina of liquid absorbent paper felt with an impervious filmon its lowermost supported face,

(b) a top surface lamina of liquid absorbent paper felt spaced from andoverlying the base lamina,

(c) a marginal spacer separating said laminae with a chamber spacetherebetween,

(d) and a liquid retaining lamina comprised of a single layer of looseliquid saturable crush resistant pellets occupying the chamber spacebetween said laminae and engageably supporting the surface laminae inorder to uniformly space the first two mentioned laminae and to receiveliquid therefrom and to store said liquid.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 468,353 2/1892Maussner 184-106 2,057,162 10/1936 R-ichey 184-106 2,145,930 2/1939Herron 156-107 2,300,041 10/1942 Bradley 47-3 8 2,619,653 12/1952 Young4-112 2,649,759 8/1953 Gibbs 119-1 2,707,352 5/1955 Fischer 161-162 X2,757,478 8/1956 Borland 184-106 2,895,873 7/1959 Sawyer et al 119-12,912,152 11/1959 White 184-106 3,062,323 ll/l962 Oganovic 184-1063,186,896 6/1965 Clem 161-133 FOREIGN PATENTS 741,475 12/1955 GreatBritain.

EARL M. BERGERT, Primary Examiner.

I I. BURNS, T. R. SAVOIE, Assistant Examiners.

